An Unexpected Visit

Last week the Farmer and I had a couple of days away. We headed east across to Sussex which from where we live is a bit of a cross country journey. The route we chose was scenic but a bit steady and although we had left home at 7am we weren't making as quick a progress as we hoped.

When we reached Petworth, a small town in West Sussex, we decided it was time for a stop. 

Petworth is a pretty town dominated by Petworth House, the home of the Percy/ Whyndham family for 900 years. The extensive house was rebuilt in 1688 and although the house is managed by The National Trust the family still live in one wing.

The main draw to visit the house is the large number of paintings many by renowned artists. All the walls of the State Appartments are covered in works of art including a large number of paintings  by Turner who regularly visited the house. There are also extensive collections of sculptures and Chinese porcelain. I took very few pictures in the house but this gives a feel of the main hall.

Across the courtyard are the servants quarters which are connected by an underground passage. A lot of the kitchens are still much as they were when the property was handed to the nation in 1947.

The proximity to the town means that you can walk straight out of the house into the streets which we did half way round our tour, quite a novel experience for a stately home.

The quaint streets are full of interesting shops including a good number of Antique and Vintage shops.

Much of the town is still owned by the estate.

The other interesting feature is the proximity of the deer park to the main windows where one may have expected to look out onto gardens.

The grass is left naturally long and the deer can graze close to the house.

Each side there is a deep haha and ornate gates and railings to protect the pleasure gardens.

We enjoyed a walk through the landscaped gardens down to the lake which is the home to many waterfowl.

A great deal more time could be spent fully exploring the parkland.

After admiring the view from the hill it was time to return to the car for a very late picnic lunch and a cuppa before we moved on.